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Let them Stay – a Lenten Reflection

Taken from UnitingWorld and the UCA Assembly’s staff worship on Tuesday 16 Feb

By Rev Dr Ji Zhang, UnitingWorld’s Manager, Church Partnership –Asia

 Luke 13:31-35

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

The passage above is located in the passion narrative of Jesus in Luke’s gospel. In the early passage, we read the story of the Fig Tree. It is the story about a tree no longer bearing fruit. It needs to be cut down, but the farmer wants to give it another year, another chance to revive it back to life. This story symbolises the judgment of God.

Then in Luke 13:11-13 we read another story, the healing of the crippled woman. After 18 years of suffering, she has finally gained strength to stand up and walk.  Confidence returns to her too.

When we read the stories together, we begin to see a pattern. On the one hand, it is the external journey of Jesus confronting authority – even the King. On the other hand, it is his internal journey in which Jesus becomes increasingly obedient to God’s calling – leading him to his journey to the Cross.

Our reading today begins with a warning from the Pharisees. “Herod wants to kill you”. Herod is the King, and his desire to kill Jesus was disclosed at the time of Jesus’ birth. He wants to kill Jesus, and his will is based not on any real threat, but his inert fear.

Jesus replied to the Pharisees: “Tell that fox, I am casting out demons and performing cures today, and tomorrow, and on the third day I will finish my work”. This saying about his three-day work points to the future of his passion: death and resurrection in three days. The work that Jesus wants to do is more than healing of the sick; he wants to cast out demons in that culture, perform cures in that kingdom of fear governed by Herod.

When I read this passage, three words kept emerging in my mind: “Let Them Stay”. In the last few weeks, churches in Australia have begun to evoke an ancient tradition called Sanctuary. “Let Them Stay” is about letting love surround people who are living in fear.

In the second week of Lent, the biblical teaching shows us a paradox. On the one hand, the external journey unfolds a discourse in which Jesus confronts the authorities and speaks of the kingdom of God arriving. On the other hand, his internal journey goes deeper and deeper into the realm of obedience. In the public discourse of “Let Them Stay” we see this paradox. The external confrontation is against the fear of refugees in Australia by offering the church as a place of protection and home. Internally we as Christians also weigh the risk of such action with our discipleship, and follow the commandment to love our neighbours.

In 1989, I came to Australia with one suitcase, U$110 in my pocket, and a half year visa in my passport. It took me 6 years to convince the immigration department to recognise me, and a whole group of us, as refugees. I understand what it is to be in need and how difficult is to live in fear and uncertainty. The cost for me was high – I did not see my family for 11 years.

My own experience in Australia tells me that there was a pair of invisible hands trying to push me away. “When will you go home?” people in factories and my church and the university asked me. Those pushing hands, even though invisible, centrainly felt, pushing me away.

How different were these moments compared with my experience in America? In my first month in Boston, the Dean of Students came to ask me: “Do you want to stay?”

In 2008, I visited Port Arthur in Tasmania. Even in such a beautiful place, I felt so wrong. The pristine beauty had been used to lock people up in isolation. The stone buildings, the burnt church, the green land, and the blue sea – to me it seemed a restless place. There are restless souls here, and they are still crying out for justice, or perhaps for what must sometimes have been a disproportionate punishment.

Looking back to that experience, I felt, as if those restless souls were still haunting this culture today. As if, this country would require an exorcism. But one thing is certain – we need to lay this restlessness to rest – in peace.

 “Let Them Stay” is such an act. It turns “when do you go home?” into “do you want to stay?” The three-word phrase is a defence for powerless people. It calls people into action to surround these people with love. As Jesus put it; “I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings”.

The three-word phrase internally cuts right into the soul of this young nation. Externally it performs a healing in the form of driving out people’s fear. They form a shape of “X”, and this is the symbol of our Lenten journey.

Lift high this cross, because it roots out a sin “Go back to where you come from”. Lift high this cross, because it cases out the demon that is inflicting power over the powerless. Lift high this cross, because it shines a light into everyone’s heart with love. Lift high this cross, because it opens a window for us to see the truth. Suffering is not overcome by power. The answer to suffering is compassion and love.

There is a danger ahead. We know that. Luke’s gospel tells us: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!” Jesus inner strength for overcoming the external danger was obedience. Indeed, this Christological paradox reaches to the climax on the cross. On the cross, Jesus did not save himself nor did he free himself from humiliation. On the cross, his obedience becomes total surrender – Let God be God.

Fellow Christians, this is our Lenten paradox. We engage the external journey of truth telling against the self-fulfilling prophecy of this government. Meanwhile we count the cost of discipleship. The passion narrative of Jesus unfolds into his obedience to God’s calling, and in that calling we let God be God.

Last week we marked our head with ashes. Today we mark this “X” on our hearts. We pray Luke’s ancient prayer with anticipation. “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord”.

Amen.

Luke 13:31-35

 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”